releve Virginia Division of Natural Heritage, see http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/documents/nh_plotform_instructions.pdf
Overall Taxon Cover Values are Automatically Calculated?
no
Stem Observation Area
400
m²
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(2) classification plot: sufficient for inclusion in a classification revision
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Tree Height
25
m
Shrub Height
5
m
Field Height
5
m
Tree Cover
90
%
Shrub Cover
60
%
Field Cover
2
%
Nonvascular Cover
2
%
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Resample of 13-year old permanent plot. Corners are now monumented with rebar stakes painted light blue.
Extensive die-back of Kalmia latifolia branches that reduced the cover of this shrub by about half (from ~35% in 2001 to ~15% in 2014) is the only significant change in this plot over the past 13 years. The stand continues to be stronglly dominated by Quercus montana in the overstory and Acer rubrum and Nyssa sylvatica in the understory. The concentration of Quercus montana in the overstory, and the dominance of Acer rubrum and other mesophytes such as Fagus grandifolia in the understory, is an artifact of fire exclusion that does not bode well for the long-term viability of oaks on this site.
